"You
are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be
made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out
and trampled underfoot by men. Matthew
5:13
Jesus tells us in Matthew chapter 5 that as Christians, we
are to be salt and light to the world.
Last week we talked about how we can be light to the world. This week we will look at the command to be
salt and just what that means. Salt can
literally transform any recipe from bland and tasteless to flavorful and
savory. How can we as Christians
transform this world?
A Valuable Commodity
Nothing is of value
that does not have a purpose. While we try to find the purpose of something in
its effect on our own lives as individuals, God sees purpose in relation to His
creation. The work of Christ in our
lives is intended to have effect on the world around us.
Just before Jesus
said these words, He had just delivered the Sermon on the Mount, which has a
definite relation to them. In the beatitudes Jesus sets out the proper attitude
for the Christian. The verses which follow tell us how are to use this attitude
in influencing the world about us. It has to do with our responsibility. The
Christian is not made only for heavenly dwelling but for earthly impact.
In setting out this
responsibility Jesus uses a metaphor, a common means of expression in the
teachings of Jesus. According to
Webster, “metaphor is the use of a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of
object or idea in place of another by way of suggesting a likeness or analogy
between them." In this case the two different kinds of objects which are
likened to each other are Christians and salt. As we study this metaphor
certain fundamental truths of Christian living are revealed for our
consideration and application.
Back then, salt was a
necessity of life and not quite as easily accessible to people. There were no grocery stores on every corner
and salt was not cheap! Salt was
sometimes used as money and even the Roman Soldiers of Jesus’ day were
sometimes paid with salt. In fact, our
word “salary” comes from the Latin word salarium
which referred to the payments to the soldiers with salt. We still use the
phrase saying that someone either is, or is not, “worth their salt.” We don’t
think much about salt because we can get as much of it in pure form as we want.
It is just that little bottle with holes in the top on the table. But when you
are completely dependent on salt to preserve your food, and when it is so
valuable that it is used in the place of money, you get a completely different
perspective on salt. Like salt, Christians are of infinite value!
Like Salt Must Have Contact To Have An Influence!
Salt sitting in the shaker on your table will not make your food taste better. It must make contact with other substances if it is to have its effect in upon the substance. So also with the Christian. We must make contact with the world if we are to be a preserving force wherever God puts us. If we draw a circle around ourselves and close out all contact, we will be ignoring a definite responsibility which has been given to us by the Lord Jesus.
Salt sitting in the shaker on your table will not make your food taste better. It must make contact with other substances if it is to have its effect in upon the substance. So also with the Christian. We must make contact with the world if we are to be a preserving force wherever God puts us. If we draw a circle around ourselves and close out all contact, we will be ignoring a definite responsibility which has been given to us by the Lord Jesus.
Jesus called us the
salt of the earth because, as Christians, we can enhance and give meaning to
the bland existence we call life, just as salt enhances bland food. We can bring balance and hope to an otherwise
dying world through Jesus Christ in us.
